LIVE 8 TICKETS

ELAINE COULTON · Lookin' After Number 1

LIVE 8 TICKETS

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I know it is unfair that us music fans didn't win tickets. I did manage to secure 2, which apparently were destined for eBay - but were won after the auction were pulled down and she couldn't be bothered to do anything else with them so gave them to us ! So genuine music fans did get 2 after all

motema2004 · Tonight

Sorry, I know how you must feel. I hope Sir Bob eventually reads this! What a mess! There's a lot more to this simple idea of giving some concerts than expected--not that that's any comfort. Just want to say I sympathize. Maybe somthing good will happen for you later, there are still 2 weeks to go.

Serguei · Like Clockwork

Jules wrote:

I know it is unfair that us music fans didn't win tickets. I did manage to secure 2, which apparently were destined for eBay - but were won after the auction were pulled down and she couldn't be bothered to do anything else with them so gave them to us ! So genuine music fans did get 2 after all

I am not sure this concert is about music fans. As far as I understand Bob is planning to present it as a show of solidarity with African poor. This probably means that all spectators are supposed to be caring about hungry first and music second.

I think you are going to the concert for the wrong reason.

May be if there were less celebrities and more African musicians, the concert would attract the right sort of people? Then there would be no problem with ticket sales on eBay...

meekus · Tonight

What do you mean by, "May be if there were less celebrities and more African musicians, the concert would attract the right sort of people..."? Your words sound slightly racist towards non-Africans.

The right sort of people?

What does that mean?

Because I've listened to "celebrities" more than "African musicians", does that mean that I am the wrong kind of person being attracted to the event? And how would any of it end(ed) the problems with ticket sales on EBAY?

Serguei · Like Clockwork

meekus wrote:

What do you mean by, "May be if there were less celebrities and more African musicians, the concert would attract the right sort of people..."? Your words sound slightly racist towards non-Africans.

Live8 suppose to help people living in Black Africa, not those in Europe or America. Is this racist? Is Bob racisist by not helping e.g. Chinese?

meekus wrote:

The right sort of people? What does that mean? Because I've listened to "celebrities" more than "African musicians", does that mean that I am the wrong kind of person being attracted to the event? And how would any of it end(ed) the problems with ticket sales on EBAY?

The right sort of people are those who go to the concert to show their solidarity with the push to help Africa, not the people who are only coming to see Madonna.

If one cares about Africa, he/she would come to the concert anyway, even if celebrities are not there, but only those musicians who either come from Africa or who are known to work for Africa evey day (like Bob Geldof) and not just once a year. And there would be no need to stop sales of the tickets on eBay - there will be less people desperately wishing to be at the concert for all the wrong reasons.

meekus · Tonight

You either don't understand what I'm saying, or are really failing at taking things out of context.

It seemed like you were saying that people who are going for the celebrities are going just for the celebrities. Is it not possible that a die-hard fan of Pink Floyd (such as myself) would go not only to see one of the greatest bands ever rejoin for the first time in 24 years, but also go because I believe in the cause of helping suffering Africans?

Again, are the right sort of people Africans? Are the right sort of people those who don't care about who's playing? Let me pose something to you. One person goes to a concert and doesn't care about starving families, he just wants to see P Diddy sing a song. Let's say that an African singer is also scheduled to perform. Africans and "the right sort of people" come only for the political message of aid.

I see the second group of people being just as bad as the first man, because they each have come for one narrow-minded reason. If you don't enjoy all of the music, fine. But if you don't enjoy any of the music, get out. If you don't agree with the protest in Edinburgh, fine. But if you don't like Live 8 at all and just want to see Mariah Carey, get out.

The music and the messages that (hopefully) will be brought through it is just as important as the humanities and political ideas of intervening. They are one. That's the idea of it. To say that one person should get out of the event just because he felt excited about Deep Purple playing doesn't mean taht he doesn't want to help Africans, it doesn't make him any less of a person, or unworthy to see the shows.

I have not heard a single piece of original true African music in my life. Let's say that an African artist performs. I don't particularly enjoy the song, so I go and get something to drink (you name any menial task). Because I did not listen to the artist, does that mean that I then don't believe in the politics around the event?

It seemed like you were saying that Africans are the only ones who should be allowed to perform at the events. If Africans are "the right sort of people" as well, then that could be construed to you seeing them as better for the event, even superior to other races, making the remarks racist.

I never once claimed Bob to be racist. If anything, I was slightly implying that your first reply in this thread to be racist. Bob is doing plenty. Just because he's not helping citizens of Sri Lanka or North Korea doesn't make him a racist in the least.

But honestly, if you think that Africans should only be allowed to perform and that the fans for the event would be smaller - which they would - then your EBAY idea makes perfect sense. But based on what you have said, your EBAY conclusion does not make sense.

Serguei · Like Clockwork

meekus wrote:

It seemed like you were saying that people who are going for the celebrities are going just for the celebrities. Is it not possible that a die-hard fan of Pink Floyd (such as myself) would go not only to see one of the greatest bands ever rejoin for the first time in 24 years, but also go because I believe in the cause of helping suffering Africans?

There is a very simple test. Just ask yourself would those Pink Floyd fans (including yourself) go to a concert with Pink Floyd if it had nothing to do with Africa? I am sure you will (otherwise you would not be a die-hard fan). And please give an honest answer to another question - would those die-fard fans go to a concert with a different kind of music that is played to help Africa?

When you answer my questions honestly you will have an answer to your question too.

meekus · Tonight

I would definitely go to a Pink Floyd concert, even if not during Live 8. As I stated elsewhere in my reply, people who do not go to Live 8 for both reasons are going for the wrong reason. To your second question: I stated elsewhere in my reply that if people do not go to Live 8 for the music and the message, then they should stay home. If I did not like the music from a different genre of band, even if it still helped Africa, it could only satisfy one of the two necessary areas.

Our questions are completely different because of the answer. Mine: "Is it not possible that a die-hard fan of Pink Floyd (such as myself) would go not only to see one of the greatest bands ever rejoin for the first time in 24 years, but also go because I believe in the cause of helping suffering Africans?", and yours: "...would those die-fard fans go to a concert with a different kind of music that is played to help Africa?".

The answer to mine is, "Yes." The answer to yours is slightly yet dramatically different, "Yes, it is possible; but they would be there for the right reasons."

To have it completely make sense: The answer to mine could not be, "Yes, it is possible, but they would not be there for the right reasons." In fact, in my question and correct answer, the world is fine and the message/music of Live 8 lives on the way it should. The answer to your question could not be, "Yes.", because it would not be explaining the answer to its full value.

Make sense?

I have answered your questions honestly, and yet our answers differ...